SSAR-02 The Voice

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Gale replied with a grin. "I am a little over 700 years old making me a Guardian easily. In effect, I am the Rainbow Guardian. The older dragons hate it when I call myself that. I cannot speak for Izzy. Sometimes he acts younger than me; then other times he acts way older. He isn't here to defend himself, so my statement stands."

~~~~~

The tour bus stopped at the Devlin station where Kiel and Zeustail escorted Deryk and Exan aboard the bus. Once aboard, Kiel pulled a championship yellow ribbon out of his pouch and he draped it around the bus driver's torso. "Ah'm escorting the Devlin down to Mathilda today."

The bus driver said, "We have a few open seats still, Kiel. Be'ave yerself on the bus or else Ah tell the guests the funny joke about the one time yas were downwind of a gassy giant sheila."

Deryk eyed Zeustail with a humored grin. The more Deryk learned about Kiel, the funnier the old roo seemed.

Zeustail remarked, "It is better not to ask. Ah've 'eard the joke."

[Devvy-boy]

Exan arched an eye towards Lord Kiel. Are the Kangaroo Lords really such pranksters and this funny? He closed his eyes, and sighed once he saw Robyn in a seat with a cup of tea in her hands next to a a fox with multiple tails. He noticed the person sitting behind the Kitsune and the troublemaker, he passed them, and smiled towards Nick benignly before finding an empty seat. And kept from locking eyes with him and the other attractive human males. He knew how to behave, even with the struggle.

So THAT is the Lonewolf child.... not quite human, so that must be why he doesn't respond much to traps. Draining the last of his tea in his cup, Lord Rein glanced at the leaves for a moment, and his eyes widened. He then sniffed the air around him, and realized there would be another factor that could cause an unwanted form of chaos that could potentially make Mathilda slam another. "Damn," he let slip out of his mouth in his native tongue, before quietly murmuring an enchantment so the scents in the air would mellow out, and not influence libidos, and assist in reducing the symptoms of heat for as long as they were there.

"What was that?" said Robyn curiously, "and why did it look like Exan was so tense. He's usually carefree."

"I'm surprised at you, Robyn-kun," Said Lord Rein, refilling his teacup with his favorite brew. "Digging into the personal affairs of others is mainly off limits for humans, and usually not proper. Us non-humans are quite nonchalant, but we are not bound by the same etiquettes as Humanity. The Lordly Marsupials present might know what I have done, but I just cast a little insurance policy to keep things in check for at least a few hours."


"That makes sense. You seem to have more of a sense of adventure than the other Dragon instructors." said Hector with a bit of a smile. "I believe you have a sense of balance between age and wisdom." He then paused briefly. "Would you like your meat rare or blue rare? Humans usually have their meat more cooked than other species would like." He then heard a tumbling sound. from upstairs. "Jakkin." He turned off the burner on the stove, and set the pan to the side quickly, running up the stairs to check on his hatchling Dragon.

Jakkin only knocked over a lamp while playing with the strange toy he found in the basket. He was enjoying it way to much as he tumbled across the floor with the (Poff) ball.

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Lord Kiel mentally told Exan, The stupid joke is that Ah keeled over from the stink. A play on my own name. This is 'ow 'e gets me back after the trick Ah did to 'im with the old oak tree that one time. And no, we are usually serious and respectable. Especially on a day like today. Ah'm gonna 'ave a look at the Kane on the bus to see what kind of aura the bloke 'as.

When Lord Kiel looked at Nick Kane in passing, he could not discern anything special about this Kane at all. Usually, a Kane had an outstanding aura that would bowl an Outback Dreamtimer over on their ass. But this one didn't have that kind of aura at all. Kiel took his seat with Deryk with that pondering look on his muzzle.

Zeustail sat in the seat directly across from Kiel as he looked to his colleague as he asked, "What's wrong, Kiel?"

Deryk took his seat next to Kiel as Exan sat in his seat.

Kiel remarked to Zeustail. "Yas recall 'ow powerful a Kane's aura is said to be when yas first meet one. Well the new bloke doesn't 'ave that kind of aura It's ordinary. Ah 'ave to wonder if this bloke is adopted. Usually Mathilda doesn't make a mistake like this."

Zeustail turned his head as he looked back up the aisle of seats toward the bus booth that Nick and the two others were seated in as he focused his powers on the boy's aura. It was just as Kiel said; no overwhelming defense barrier or anything. He seemed too normal to be a Kane. He turned his head back around to look at Kiel and the others. "Maybe 'is powers 'aven't been activated as yet. It is a concept that we should not overlook. 'e seems friendly enough. 'e is social."

Kiel replied, "No, I know when a power is not activated and this bloke just doesn't 'ave it."

~~~~~

Nick asked his two associates, "What was up with that roo that looked me right in the eyes? 'e 'ad a disappointed look on 'is mug afterward."

The Dingo gent replied, "That roo was Dreamtime Lord Kiel and the bloke was likely reading your aura or trying to. My buddy and Ah noticed what was missing when yas sat down 'ere with us."

The Kangaroo boomer smirked. "It is always funny to see a Dreamtime lord stymied." Then he got serious. "At any rate, yer aura doesn't 'ave that Kane Blows The Enemies Away force be'ind it. So to save the lord from 'aving to ask, Are yas adopted?"

Nick had an immediate reaction to that. "When Ah was born, my mum screamed and said she would kill my dad for putting 'er through so much pain. The doctors 'ad trouble keeping 'er in the clinic bed during my birthing. Afterward, one of the doctors remarked that they 'ad gotten me out of mum in the nick of time. And dad said, and that's the boy's name. Nick Kane. In time we will see 'ow this boy turns out and the funny stories Ah can tell 'im when 'e asks about 'is own birth. So yas see, Ah am a Ringwood River Kane. My parents run a gift shop. Ah knew there were religious Kanes in Northern Blackall whom were both Preachers and School Teachers but my family did not personally know them."

The Dingo gent chuckled. "When Mathilda finds out what kind of Kane she summoned, she is going to 'ave the self same look on that big puss of 'er's."

The Kangaroo boomer said, "Don't worry, Nick... if she and the others don't like what they summoned, yas can 'ang out with us."

~~~~~

Gale sipped on his drink as he heard Hector head upstairs. "I hope he doesn't try to take the toy away from Jakkin or else the entire upstairs may end up looking like a rugby field."

[Devvy-boy]

Exan smirked. Sounds like an old story my Da' would find 'ilarious, Lord Kiel. As the fogginess started to fade and he was able to resist his instincts without much effort, the Artificer to-be took a chance to look towards the Kane boy that everyone seemed to be fawning over by the Dingo gent and the Kangaroo Boomer. He couldn't help but to smile towards him; he was quite cute. Yet if it was confirmed to be the Kane boy, he should keep himself even more in check after hearing the story from the Dreamtime Lord escorts.

Lord Rein sent a proper greeting to the Dreamtime Lords as he sipped tea, his tails swishing contentedly. Greetings to you both. I am Lord Rein of the Akinobu Kitsune Clan and the Autumnal Lord of Chaos. I have taken Robyn Skye under my tutelage, and will be keeping an eye on her per Mathilda's warning. She wants to observe how much the young Artificer will change, as she does not know what secrets his destiny hold.


Before he could try anything, he could see how well Jakkin was playing with a strange ball, and mentally said to Gale, It looks like Jakkin found a strange ball. Must be something I didn't find under the fabric of the basket Jakkin's egg came in... He looked to Jakkin. "You sure love playing with that ball... or whatever it is, do you Jakkin?" He then said, "Breakfast is ready with a various meats. You want some?"

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Kiel mentally replied to Lord Rein, Greetings to yas as well. Mathilda 'as a tendency to make unruly 'umans whom break 'er rules on the special day clean 'er cess pools with a teaspoon and no magic whatsoever. Ah 'ope yer charge does not befall that punishment. Those pools contain Kangaroo shite... And lots of it!

Zeustail focused on Exan and mentally said, The Kane boy doesn't 'ave the power levels that the standard Kanes 'ave, it is almost disappointing. What Ah wouldn't 'ave given to 'ave seen Kiel knocked over 'is chair backwards after looking at that boy's aura.


Gale mentally sent back to Hector, I think that strange ball may be a power device and you should make sure that Jakkin has not accidentally penetrated it with his fangs. I can imagine that won't taste good.

~~~~~

The rest of the bus ride was uneventful and then the bus driver pulled into the parking lot at the Kane's Cavern rest stop. He growled when he saw that some locals had decorated the oak tree. But this time he knew Kiel didn't do it. There were thousands of yellow ribbons tied all over the oak tree. Everyone was then getting off of the bus at that point. Most didn't ask about the decorated oak tree. Kiel guided Deryk toward the entrance of Kane's Cavern. Nick and his escorts that he met on the bus were going in as well.

Zeustail smiled at Exan. "Follow Kiel, 'e knows the way." And he began to lead Exan toward the cavern entrance where the Dreamtime Kangaroo Warriors stood guard.

[Devvy-boy]

Exan followed closely. He knew that earning the blessing from Mathilda is very important. Which is why he didn't want to distract himself. "So this is the fabled Kane's Cavern," he observed, being stymied a little by the curious, yet stern gaze of the Dreamtime Kangaroo Warriors. "Ah 'eard a whole different story at a campfire once during one of my overnight trainings at the Devlin Station. Must be Mr. Devlin and the Professor being silly about it." He remembered it making him blush profusely at the time. He looked towards the escort for Robyn. "That's a cute blo... ears? Tails? Fox?!" His shocked face was quite obvious.

"Looks like Exan is shocked by your appearance, Lord Rein," Robyn said with a giggle.

Lord Rein extended the enchantment over the group so the ginger boy couldn't be the embodiment of lust that was forming. He then floated in mid-air between his charge and the "Ah... a new fan. I'm Lord Rein of the Akinobu Clan... and I am a Kitsune. Normal foxes envy our magical abilities and to be able to grow more than one tail." He teased. "You have a thing for cute boys, eh?"

Like hitting the bullseye with a vorpal arrow, the Lord of Autumnal Chaos caused a little bit of a shock in Zeustail's charge. "N-no comment," he stammered as he blushed over that truth.


Jakkin stopped playing with it, then swiftly climbed up Hector and reached his shoulders. "Daddy, Jakkin hungry!"

"Daddy got some food downstairs, but you gotta be quiet eating it, okay? Sister is plugged in, but if she hears loud noises, she'll freak out at us, understand."

Jakkin tilted his head, not understanding what the big human meant.

"Okay, let's go." He then looked at the ball in his peripheral. That is a source of power? It doesn't seem like it... looks like a part of a plant.

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Within the back of the chambers just past the tourist town there resided even more Dreamtime Warriors guarding the entrance to what was known as the Blessing Bowl. In the middle of the bowl was an odd rock formation that had what looked like an ornate dagger sticking out of it. Visitors were being allowed to approach Mathilda, give their names and then they were permitted to try to pull the dagger out of the rocks. Everyone was failing of course, but for their efforts, they were given souvenirs for free.

Little did they know what this special day was to bring.

Kiel presented Deryk to Mathilda. "Mum... this is Deryk Harley Devlin whom just completed 'is training at the Devlin Station. As per custom, the bloke is 'ere to receive yer blessing." Kiel then looked at Devlin's face as he mouthed, [Mind yer manners.]

Deryk knelt at Mathilda's big feet and he felt the sheila pet on his soft hair.

"A fine student this one. Yas may rise, youngster. Step over to the blessing circle and await yer blessing."

Zeustail then brought Exan forth and said, "Mum, Ah present to yas Alexander Scott "Exan" Lonewolf. 'e recently completed 'is artificer training and 'e is 'ere to receive 'is blessing as the customs state."

With Exan in position, Mathilda petted on Exan's head gently. "Another fine joey, although 'e better focus on why 'e is 'ere and not on some boomer's or Kit's bed." She stated that as if she knew what Exan was thinking. "Yas may rise, youngster. Step over to the blessing circle and await yer blessing."

And then a cold chill gently blew in as what looked like a dust covered human female walked over to stand before Mathilda. Appearing on the girl's shoulder was a KSP of a transparent nature. "Lady Mathilda, Ah am Starpaw and this is Iris Rianne Angelo the last survivor of ...that place... you know." He let it go at that point. Mathilda was going to pet this girl but something warned her not to touch her. "Step over to the blessing circle and await yer blessing for now."

Mathilda then nodded her head toward Lord Rein to bring Robyn over to her.


((Nick will approach last since something special is going to happen when he walks into the circle.))



Gale mentally stated, Perhaps you should bring this plant ball to me so I may examine it.

[Devvy-boy]

Hector shrugged his shoulders, pulled the plant-like ball off of the floor, and walked downstairs with both Jakkin and the planty-ball. "What is this thing?" He muttered as he came down the stairs to present the partially cooked meat to his hatchling.



Exan blushed, and stood appropriatly in the blessing circle, and remained in his good behavior after the warning from Mathilda.

Lord Rein said, "Lady Mathilda, I am Rein of the Akinobu Kitsune Clan and the Autumnal Lord of Chaos. I present to you Robyn Elyse Skye, whom has learned to control good chaos of the Autumnal Element and has earned her new abilities as a representative of my Chaos Order. She has assured me she will behave, per your warning." He nodded towards the wild child and mentally reminded her to behave, before she stepped forward.